So the US Government is helping (Subsidizing) a company make an $80K car that can only be purchased by say 1% of the US Population. So President Obama is helping the rich buy a car, and I thought he was for the little guy?

The last time gas got super flipping ridiculous (which was late summer 2005ish if I recall) there was a massive outcry for vehicles that depended less on oil. Over the course of the next four years, gas prices moderated, so of course everyone kind of forgot about it and went back to business as usual, but the Obama administration continued to push to create incentives for auto makers to develop new vehicles.

Existing auto makers, of course, were in bed with the oil companies and refused to do so until that whole bailout thing. Elon Musk had the foresight to look at the incentive programs that were available and use those to offset the R&D work needed to make EV's a reality.

Now its looking like he'll end up having been the visionary and will come out pretty well financially for it. His company has reaped the benefits of selling ZEV credits and developing battery pack technology to license to other auto mfr'ers, yes, the ones who were balking on that for a long time, benefitting by being bed partners with the oil companies and doing their bidding.

When the subsidies go away, Musk will have a company selling very desirable high end vehicles that people will actually pay for, and all of his R&D work to develop them will have been subsidized by the government.

Sounds like shrewd business to me and not something to be butthurted about.

praymantis:So the US Government is helping (Subsidizing) a company make an $80K car that can only be purchased by say 1% of the US Population. So President Obama is helping the rich buy a car, and I thought he was for the little guy?

Doesn't mean he's 'against' the '1%'.

Subsidizing electric cars is a good thing, and as I remember correctly, gas-fueled cars started off as being a toy of the 1%, too.

praymantis:So the US Government is helping (Subsidizing) a company make an $80K car that can only be purchased by say 1% of the US Population. So President Obama is helping the rich buy a car, and I thought he was for the little guy?

Did you really think that EV's were going to come in on the low end of the price spectrum? If so I have some property on Mars for sale...

praymantis:So the US Government is helping (Subsidizing) a company make an $80K car that can only be purchased by say 1% of the US Population. So President Obama is helping the rich buy a car, and I thought he was for the little guy?

It is definitely an expensive car, but this is a "top 10%" car, not " top 1%"

Tesla at best will be a niche car maker for the wealthy like Lotus or Aston Martin. As rich as a Musk is the amount of capital you need to sell multiple models is astounding (R&D, Tooling, Marketing, employee costs, franchise laws etc.) The only way they become a real player in the car industry is if gas heads up to say $10-$15 per gallon. Based on the amount of oil reserves that have been recently I doubt that will happen anytime soon. With that said I am glad they had a profit last quarter but will the trend continue? Any ones guess!

praymantis:Tesla at best will be a niche car maker for the wealthy like Lotus or Aston Martin. As rich as a Musk is the amount of capital you need to sell multiple models is astounding (R&D, Tooling, Marketing, employee costs, franchise laws etc.) The only way they become a real player in the car industry is if gas heads up to say $10-$15 per gallon. Based on the amount of oil reserves that have been recently I doubt that will happen anytime soon. With that said I am glad they had a profit last quarter but will the trend continue? Any ones guess!

praymantis:Tesla at best will be a niche car maker for the wealthy like Lotus or Aston Martin. As rich as a Musk is the amount of capital you need to sell multiple models is astounding (R&D, Tooling, Marketing, employee costs, franchise laws etc.) The only way they become a real player in the car industry is if gas heads up to say $10-$15 per gallon. Based on the amount of oil reserves that have been

found recently I doubt that will happen anytime soon. With that said I am glad they had a profit last quarter but will the trend continue? Any ones guess!

Hollie Maea:praymantis: So the US Government is helping (Subsidizing) a company make an $80K car that can only be purchased by say 1% of the US Population. So President Obama is helping the rich buy a car, and I thought he was for the little guy?

It is definitely an expensive car, but this is a "top 10%" car, not " top 1%"

asmodeus224:Hollie Maea: praymantis: So the US Government is helping (Subsidizing) a company make an $80K car that can only be purchased by say 1% of the US Population. So President Obama is helping the rich buy a car, and I thought he was for the little guy?

It is definitely an expensive car, but this is a "top 10%" car, not " top 1%"

Hush you, don't let reality get in the way of his roll

/germans...pearl harbor

Yes 10% of the population may be able to afford one but there are some fantastic cars in that price range. It is a competitive market.

I already have an all electric car, and it's fantastic. Every time I plug it in I can give a finger to OPEC. The cost savings on gas alone make it worth it. There is little doubt when my lease is up, I will seriously consider a Tesla for the range and performance.

Hollie Maea:praymantis: Tesla at best will be a niche car maker for the wealthy like Lotus or Aston Martin. As rich as a Musk is the amount of capital you need to sell multiple models is astounding (R&D, Tooling, Marketing, employee costs, franchise laws etc.) The only way they become a real player in the car industry is if gas heads up to say $10-$15 per gallon. Based on the amount of oil reserves that have been recently I doubt that will happen anytime soon. With that said I am glad they had a profit last quarter but will the trend continue? Any ones guess!

You haven't researched their business plan at all, have you?

There are plenty of well written business plans out there of now defunct companies. I would rather invest in Ford than Tesla the dividend is way better.

cygnusx13:I am *thiiiiis* close to ordering my Performance S. Last hurdle is getting final OK from Mrs.

They are badass machines.

You've got MY ok. I've wanted a Tesla since I first saw the Roadster. I'm hooked. There's a Tesla "dealer" in the mall here next to my office; they see me coming and collectively sigh... I smudge the wax job./if we buy it, **I'm** driving it and the hubby can stick with his Matrix.//Matrix permanently smells like post-soccer BO

My boss has a Model S. Not only is it a great electric car, it's a great car period. You have companies like Coda and FIsker that concentrate on the drivetrain and make the rest of the car as an afterthought and look at where they are at now. If Tesla can pull off the $30k car they are developing they will be rolling in money.

jelloslug:If Tesla can pull off the $30k car they are developing they will be rolling in money.

That is the KEY right there ifthey can develop a car for that price and gives you a range of 300 miles it will be a great success. If they can then some other large corporation(GM,Ford,Toyota) will just buy them which is great for the investors.

praymantis:jelloslug: If Tesla can pull off the $30k car they are developing they will be rolling in money.

That is the KEY right there if they can develop a car for that price and gives you a range of 300 miles it will be a great success. If they can then some other large corporation(GM,Ford,Toyota) will just buy them which is great for the investors.

They are already in a joint venture with Toyota (they make the drivetrain for the Rav-4 EV) so they are already in a good position.